Land and labour

Our land

Soil types

The large areas of high quality soils in the Matamata-Piako District provide an important resource for business. 75% of our soils are high class (soil class 1- 3) making up an area of over 110,000 hectares.

Land availability

The availability of affordable land and rental premises are a big draw card for businesses looking to locate to Matamata-Piako. A range of land types are available for business, agricultural and residential development. Commercial and retail rental expenses are lower than New Zealand’s other main commercial centres.

Labour

Matamata-Piako has an available labour market, with an aptitude for innovation and a focus on excellence and quality. Matamata-Piako boasts a lower cost of living and housing. Additional lifestyle factors such as short commuting times, work-life balance and access to indoor and outdoor recreation mean that Matamata-Piako is an attractive place to work.

The Matamata-Piako population has rising levels of formal education and improving skill sets to better meet industry requirements. There is an increasing uptake of formal education and training by Matamata-Piako young adults. In 2006 65% of people aged 15 years and over had a formal qualification and in 2013 this had risen to 68.5%.

Total employment in Matamata-Piako averaged 13,210 (paid employees) in the March 2013 year, this is up 1.8% from the previous year. Employment in New Zealand increased by 0.8% over the same period.

The unemployment rate in Matamata-Piako was 4.4% in March 2013, this was lower than the national rate of 6.8%.